Strengths and weaknesses of PV Sindhu’s semi-final opponent Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei

It doesn’t get any bigger than this! PV Sindhu versus Tai Tzu Ying in the women’s singles semi-final of Tokyo Olympics will be no less than a final on Saturday.

While Tai Tzu Ying is World No. 1 and hot favorite to win the title, PV Sindhu has been in spectacular form in the Tokyo Games.

The odds are definitely stacked against Sindhu as the top seed Tai holds a massive lead of 13-5 in their head-to-head record. Sixth seed Sindhu has lost the last three matches she has played against the Chinese Taipei shuttler.

The 27-year-old Tai rallied to beat Sindhu 19-21, 21-12, 21-17 in their previous encounter in January 2021 at the BWF World Tour Finals in Bangkok. Tai has proved to be her world No. 7 Sindhu's nemesis in the last few years and dominated her.

Rio Games silver medalist Sindhu has yet to drop a game in four ties so far during her Tokyo 2020 campaign. Experts believe that Sindhu has a fair chance to turn the tables on her biggest rival this time around.

Sindhu proved her form by ousting former World No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals in straight games. The reigning world champion had the upper hand against the world No. 5 Yamaguchi because of the fast courts as she was able to finish rallies sooner.

Moreover, in both the key matches on the biggest stage, Sindhu has emerged triumphant against Tai. Sindhu trounced Tai at the Rio Olympics and World Championships in 2019 in Basel.

There is very little to choose between the two as both have been riding on a wave of confidence. Whoever has the better day tomorrow, will emerge the winner.

Strengths of Tai Tzu Ying

1. Swift footwork

Tai’s footwork is very light and allows her to get to the shuttle very well. She is perhaps the swiftest mover on the circuit. With this exceptional agility, Tai plays a very strategic, offensive and slow game to fox opponents. Her fantastic footwork helps her to play at her pace and she often dictates the terms to her opposition.

2. Deceptive game

Tai’s deadly deceptive abilities are what keeps her opponents at bay. She often surprises her rivals by playing different strokes with the same actions and her opponents seldom get a chance to read her style of play.

Rivals failed to predict where the shuttle would land. She also has a wide range of strokes. She gives credit for this exceptional ability to her father, who taught her different strokes and skills in childhood.

3. Remarkable consistency

Tai has been the most consistent player on the international circuit in the last six years. She has a unique record of holding the World No. 1 ranking for the longest period. After a disappointing Rio Olympics, where she lost to Sindhu in the round of 16, Tai stamped her authority in style by winning six consecutive Super Series titles. Over the years, she has become more consistent, which puts pressure on her rivals even before the start of the match.

Tai Tzu Ying holds a better head-to-head record of 13-5 against PV Sindhu

Weaknesses of Tai Tzu Ying

1. Backhand strokes

One of her weaknesses is being pushed to the backhand when she isn’t ready for it. It’s tough for Tai to move back and play a good return backhand shot. It will often be a little too high, and the opponent is able to net kill.

With a height of nearly six feet, Sindhu would be able to hit the shuttle down if she gets a high return on the net. Sindhu is expected to drive her back and push her to the left corner of the court.

2. Small size

Tai is just 5 feet 4 inches tall and is considerably shorter than her competitors. Tai finds it difficult to reach the shuttle if the opponent is tall and moves fast on the court. Tai has tried to overcome this adversity by strengthening her core.

For Tai, taller opponents are difficult to face because they have a naturally better reach, whereas she being short has to create that reach.

3. Pressure will be on Tai for not having won any big titles so far

Tai has not won any major titles so far, though she did win the 2018 Asian Games gold. She has always stated that winning an Olympic medal is her biggest dream. She will be under tremendous pressure in the semis against Sindhu because she has never played at that big stage in her career so far.

Tai also gets under pressure to a greater extent than her rivals if the opponent dictates the pace of the match. If Sindhu manages to attack relentlessly, Tai might crumble under the pressure.